Time flowed swiftly by. Throughout the winter, Chris remained in Treasure Island City, meeting representatives from across Minisia in his capacity as king.
These representatives came from all walks of life: former Minisian nobles who had submitted to him, respected local gentry, wealthy merchants, and local officials who had risen to prominence under Chris's new policies.
With their own agendas, anxieties, and hopes, they passed through corridor after corridor and entered the temporary royal residence to seek an audience with this young yet powerful and renowned king of Bagnia.
Chris did not always receive them in the solemn council hall. Sometimes he met them in a more private study, or even in a heated pavilion in the residence's garden.
He deliberately cultivated a less formal atmosphere while maintaining an appropriate distance.
Toward the former Minisian nobles who had joined the Kingdom, Chris employed both rewards and intimidation.
He listened carefully to their views on local affairs and expressed "understanding" of their complaints, which mostly concerned their diminished power and damaged interests, but he never yielded readily.
He clearly explained the benefits of integrating into Bagnia's system... broader markets, a more stable order, and the opportunity for talented members of their families to enter the Kingdom's bureaucracy through the civil service examinations and secure positions with real authority.
With the local gentry and merchants, Chris focused instead on painting a picture of the future.
He spread out carefully drawn plans of Treasure Island City and its surrounding areas, pointing to the new harbor, the planned Workshop District, and the schools and hospitals soon to be built, showing them the changes Bagnia's rule would bring.
"What the Kingdom needs is prosperity, steadily growing tax revenues, and a constant supply of goods and talent."
Chris spoke in an intensely persuasive tone.
"And none